Floating water jet for oil slick control

ABSTRACT

A device to direct floating oil into a recovery mechanism comprising a flexible rubber hose having attached floats positioned at spaced intervals. Water jets are operatively connected to the hose between the floats, and counterweights are added to uniformly balance the unit. A water pump provides water to the hose which is sprayed by the jets against the oil slick, forcing it to the recovery mechanism.

O United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,762,169

Graham 1 1 Oct. 2, 1973 1 1 FLOATING WATER JET FOR 01L SLICK 3,578,171 51971 Usher 210/1310. 21 CONTROL 3,659,713 5/1972 Mueller 210/010. 21 x3,661,264 5/1972 Peterson ct a1. ZIOIDIG. 21 X [75] Inventor: Douglas J.Graham, Port Hueneme,

Calif.

P -M. H [73] Assignee: The United States of America as f Jr representedby the Secretary of the d y Washington, DC. Attorney R1char S. Sc1asc1aet a1.

[22] Filed: Aug. 23, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 283,021 1 1 CT A device todirect floating oil into a recovery mecha- [52] 61/1 210/242 zlo/DXG'nism comprising a flexible rubber hose having attached 239/550 239/587239/598 floats positioned at spaced intervals. Water jets are op- [51]lllt. i ly connected to the hose between the floats, and [58] Field ofSearch 239/548, 550, 568, counterweights are added to uniformly balancetha 239/587 598; 1 21; 61/] F unit. A water pump provides water to thehose which is sprayed by the jets against the oil slick, forcing it to[56] Reerences (mad the recovery mechanism.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 3,348,690 10/1967Cornelissen ..2l0/242 TO WINCHES OIL SLICK OIL CONTAINMENT BOOM APATENTEDUBT 'z SHEET 2 UF 2 THICKENED OIL SLICK K C U S H O f FLOATINGWATER JET FOR OIL SLICK CONTROL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field ofthe Invention The invention relates generally to the containment andrecovery of immiscible liquids and more particularly to the containmentand recovery of floating oil slicks.

2. Description of the Prior Art It has long been recognized that theperformance of mechanical oil recovery devices, which are preferred inoil spill cleanup operations because of their minimal environmentalimpact, is a strong function of slick thickness. Thick oil slicks alwayslead to greatly increased oil recovery rates and some devices become soinefficient as to be worthless when attempting to recover spilled oilfrom very thin slicks. Techniques used to date to maximize slickthickness in the area of the mechanical collecting device are:

a. reduce containment boom perimeter.

b. direct oil toward collection device with fire hoses.

c. use piston films (monomolecular film wets water surface displacingoil and causing oil to thicken in a lens).

All of these techniques are effective to some degree in specialsituations but all have various objections to their use which areovercome by the present invention. Reducing the containment boomperimeter decreases the slick area, thereby increasing the slickthickness. However, the slick is not locally thickened in the area ofthe oil recovery device, and so a great reduction in slick area isnecessary to affect a significant increase in the region of the device.Problems are also encountered in handling the boom in this maneuver foreven moderate sized spills and wave conditions. The use of tire hosesdoes allow for the local buildup of slick thickness in the area of thepickup device within the confines of the boomed area containing thespill, however, the main objection to the use of tire hoses is that theycause excessive turbulence of oil and water and in so doing generateoil-water emulsions which require more storage volume and treatmentafter collection. Ths use of piston fllms is only effective if wind andcurrent do not oppose its spreading motion against the oil. Furthermore,piston films are ineffective on highly viscous oil and floating debris,two characteristics which occur commonly in harbor oil spills.

Last and perhaps most important is the fact that the piston films causeoxygen depletion in the water column. Current EPA regulations limit useof this type of chemical to 2 ounces per acre, largely because itstoxicity has not been established.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention involves a device for thecontainment and recovery of oil floating on the sea. It comprises aflexible rubber hose having attached floats placed at spaced intervals.Water jets are connected to the hose between the floats andcounterweights are added to balance the unit. A water pump provides lowpressure water to the hose which is sprayed through the jets against theoil slick, forcing it to the recovery mechanism.

STATEMENT OF THE OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, a primary objectof this invention is to provide a means of containing and recovering aliquid floating on the sea.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ecologically safedevice which is used to direct the movement of floating oil slicks onwater.

Another object of the invention is to provide an economical yet reliablemeans of containing and recovering oil floating on water. I

Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description of the inventionwhen considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic illustrationshowing the invention inside a boomed area containing an oil spill.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the invention showing the hosewith an attached jet between floats.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the invention shown in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the drawings, thepresent device 10 is positioned where it will most likely be deployed,i.e., inside a boomed area containing an oil spill. The device 10 ismanually moved about inside the area enclosed by a boom 12 as necessaryto direct the floating oil into the oil recovery mechanism 14. Since theoil slick thickness is greatly increased in the region of the recoverymechanism 14, the effectiveness of the device is also greatly increased.

As prefaced by the above remarks, the present device 10 comprises aflexible hose 16, preferably of rubber and having a 1% inchesinsidediameter. The floats 18 of conventional fabrication are attachedto hose 16 and are positioned at spaced intervals. The floats, whilemanufactured of any suitable material, are preferably made ofclosed-sell polyurethane. Water spray jets 20 are connected to the hose16 between the floats l8 and are clamped in position by the upper andlower clamps 22 and 24, respectively, and by the nut and bolt assembly26 and 28. Counterweights 30 and 32 are threaded onto the rod 34,mounted to the rear of jets 20, said rod being an extension of clamps.The counterweights are added to uniformly balance the device 10. A waterpump 36 schematically shown in FIG. 1 is attached to any suitablefloating unit, preferably the recovery mechanism 14. It will be notedthat a torque stabilizer 38 is mounted on the bottom of spray jets 20 bythe brackets 40 in order to prevent excessive torque move ment of thedevice during actual operation. It will also be noted that tension lines42 which lead to hand winches located on the recovery mechanism 14 areattached to the flexible hose 16 by swivel joints 44 so as to maintainthe position of the jets 20 when operating.

Thus, it is quiescent that the present device is ecologically safe andmay be economically constructed from easily available materials. Thelength of the device 10 can be varied to allow for use in differentsituations, e.g., shorter for deployment in congested areas and longerfor deployment in open, quiescent ponds or lagoons.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

I claim: l. A device to direct floating oil into a recovery mechanismcomprising:

a flexible hose; floats attached to said hose at spaced intervals; waterjets of the fan jet variety operatively connected to said flexible hosebetween said floats;

counterweights mounted aft of said water jets and adapted to uniformlybalance the entire device; and

a water pump to provide low pressure, high volume water to the flexiblehose, said water being sprayed through said jets and against thefloating oil, forcing the same to a recovery mechanism.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein:

a torque stabilizer is mounted on the bottom of said water jets toprevent excessive torque motion of said jets during operation, therebykeeping the jet in proper position.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said flexible hose is fabricated offlexible rubber having a l k inches inside diameter.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the floats are fabricated ofclosed-cell polyurethane.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said water pump is attached to saidrecovery mechanism.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein a pair of tension lines are attached atone end to said flexible hose at widely spaced intervals through swiveljoints and at the opposite end to a winch;

thus upon operation of the winch, said tension lines draw the hose, jetsand other structure toward the oil recovery mechanism which forces thefloating oil into the recovery mechanism.

1. A device to direct floating oil into a recovery mechanism comprising:a flexible hose; floats attached to said hose at spaced intervals; waterjets of the fan jet variety operatively connected to said flexible hosebetween said floats; counterweights mounted aft of said water jets andadapted to uniformly balance the entire device; and a water pump toprovide low pressure, high volume water to the flexiBle hose, said waterbeing sprayed through said jets and against the floating oil, forcingthe same to a recovery mechanism.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein: atorque stabilizer is mounted on the bottom of said water jets to preventexcessive torque motion of said jets during operation, thereby keepingthe jet in proper position.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein saidflexible hose is fabricated of flexible rubber having a 1 1/2 inchesinside diameter.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein the floats arefabricated of closed-cell polyurethane.
 5. The device of claim 1 whereinsaid water pump is attached to said recovery mechanism.
 6. The device ofclaim 1 wherein a pair of tension lines are attached at one end to saidflexible hose at widely spaced intervals through swivel joints and atthe opposite end to a winch; thus upon operation of the winch, saidtension lines draw the hose, jets and other structure toward the oilrecovery mechanism which forces the floating oil into the recoverymechanism.